Ignition system

ABSTRACT

An improved ignition system for internal combustion engines having diode rectifiers and condensers in an ignition system connected in a fashion so as to provide an improved system thereby allowing increased gas mileage and hotter sparks to be obtained.

United States Patent [191 Phillips [451 Aug. 21, 1973 1 IGNITION SYSTEM [76] Inventor: John P. Phillips, 625 Esther St.,

Michigan City, 1nd. 46360 22 Filed: Mar. 30, 1971 211 App1.No.: 129,527

[52] US. Cl 123/148 E, 123/148 R [51] Int. Cl F02p 1/00 [58] Field of Search 123/148 E [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,673,998 7/1972 Phillips 123/148 E 3,327,165 6/1967 Hawthorne... 123/148 E 2,184,315 12/1939 Peters 123/148 E 3,443,556 5/1969 Vadala 123/148 E 2,353,527 7/1944 Touceda 123/148 E 8/1966 Minck 123/148 E 6/1940 Holthouse 123/148 E OTHER PUBLICATIONS SCK Designers Handbook, Robert Murray, 1963, Westinghouse FIGS. 7-104, 105.

Primary Examiner-Laurence M. Goodridge Assistant Examiner-Ronald B. Cox Att0meyI-Ii11, Sherman, Meroni, Gross & Simpson [57] ABSTRACT An improved ignition system for internal combustion engines having diode rectifiers and condensers in an ignition system connected in a fashion so as to provide an improved system thereby allowing increased gas mileage and hotter sparks to be obtained.

4 Claims, 3 Drawing Figures IGNITION SYSTEM CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS This invention comprises an improvement in my invention entitled ELECTRONIC IGNITION filed June ll, 1970 under Ser.No. 45,300 which issued July 4, 1972, as U.S. Pat. No. 3,673,998.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention This invention relates generally to ignition systems and in particular to an improved ignition system capable of increasing the spark and efficiency of internal combustion engines.

2. Description of the Prior Art A conventional internal combustion engine ignition system utilizes a coil having a primary connected in series with the battery and a pair of breaker points. The breaker points are connected in parallel with the condenser and when the breaker points are closed the primary of the coil is energized from the battery. When the breaker points break, the coil produces a back EMF which is supplied to the condenser and simultaneously the high voltage output issupplied to the distributor of the vehicle from the secondary of the coil. Such systems are subject to oscillation between the condenser and primary coil and also arcing of the breaker points occur.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention comprises an improved ignition system which utilizes condensers and diodes connected in circuit with the primary coil ,of an ignition system so as to produce a more efficient and effective spark in the engine. In one embodiment adiode rectifier is placed between the positive terminal of the battery and to the side of the coil which is opposite to that which the breaker points are connected. This multiplies the voltage to a level almost as great as if a diode rectitier were placed on both sides of the coil. The ignition system introduces an increased spark and gives improved performance including increased gas mileage and the breaker points operate much longer than with conventional systems.

Various embodiments with diode rectifiers and condensers interconnected with the battery, points and coil are disclosed which result in improved ignition systems.

Other objects, features and advantages of the inven- BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic illustration of the ignition system of the invention;

FIG. 2 illustrates a modification of the invention; and

FIG. 3 illustrates a further modification of the invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS FIG. 1 illustrates the ignition system of an internal combustion engine wherein the internal combustion engine is designated by numeral 24 and includes spark plugs 26a-26f which have first sides connected to the ground and second sides respectively connected to contacts 23a-23f of the distributor 21. The rotating contact 22 of the distributor is connected by lead 27 to one end of the secondary 19 of the ignition coil. The other end of the secondary 19 is connected to lead 25 which is connected to breaker point 13. The other breaker point 14 is connected to ground. The breaker points 13 and 14 are controlled by a conventional cam 16 which is mechanically coupled by shaft 31 to the distributor rotor contact 22. A battery E has its negative terminal 10 connected to ground and its positive terminal connected to the anode of a diode rectifier D1 through switch 12. The cathode of the diode D1 is connected to a first side 28 of the primary coil 18 and the other end 29 of the primary coil is connected to lead 25 and breaker point 13. Capacitor Cl is connected between end 29 of coil 18 and ground and a condenser C2 is connected between the end 28 of coil 18 and ground. A capacitor C3 is connected in parallel with the diode D1. The on-off switch 12 connected between the positive side 11 of the battery and the anode of the diode D1 turns the circuit on.

In operation, when the on-ofi switch 12 is closed and the engine is operating, current will flow into the primary 18 of -the ignition coil through the closed breaker points 13 and 14. The diode D1 is poled so that current can flow into the primary .18 when the breaker points engage. When the cam 16 breaks the contact between the breaker points 13 and 14. a high voltage back EMF will be produced in the primary 18 which will induce a very high voltage in the secondary 19 of the ignition coil which will be supplied to the rotor contact 22 of the distributor and to one of the distributor contacts 23a23f and thus to the spark plugs 26a-26f to produce a very high intensity spark resulting in efficient and economic performance of the engine.

The condenser C1 aids in protecting the breaker points 13 and 14 so that excessive and destructive arcing does not occur. The condenser C2 assures that a very hot and effective spark isapplied to the plugs 26a-26f by the distributor. The diode D1 prevents reverse current from being fed back to the battery and the condenser C3 stabilizes the system. The system operates as a voltage multiplier and comprises an improvement over my electronic ignition system tiescribed in co-pending application Ser. No. 45.300. The present system eliminates a diode rectifier on the negative side of the coil which exists in the apparatus described in application Ser. No. 45,300 and the present system will still operate as a voltage multiplier because the breaker points accomplish the same results as the rectifier eliminated from that system. The present invention comprises a voltage multiplier wherein the voltage increases by approximately 30 percent on the secondary side of the ignition coil for delivering the spark to the spark plug. The increase on the primary side is about 300 percent and some of this comprises feedback from the secondary because the secondary is connected by lead 25 to end 29 of the primary which makes it operate similar to an auto transformer. The primary, of course, is constructed of heavy wire and the secondary is constructed of small gauge wire and has thousands of more turns than the primary. The voltage multiplier of this invention operates at peak efficiency with a slow pulse repetition rate which assures improved starting of the engine and improved performance at low speeds. The present invention does not require a diode rectifier on the negative side of the coil and this increases the dependability of the voltage multiplier.

In the event the breaker points become dirty which would cause arcing on make of the breaker points if there were a diode in the circuit between the breaker points and the coil, multiple buildup would occur causing the voltage in the coil of the primary to go very high thus burning out the diode rectifiers. By eliminating the diode rectifier on the negative side of the coil, arcing at the breaker points will allow the voltage to be fed back into the system and not become excessive.

Thus, the invention illustrated in FIG. 1 improves the efficiency of the coil as much as 30% above that of conventional ignition systems. Furthermore, the system will have very high efficiency at low speeds of the engine due to the effect of the condenser which regulates and cushions the effect of increased electrical forces. This efficiency also exists at higher speeds.

FIG. 2 comprises a modification of the invention where the engine and distributor system are not illustrated but the lead 27 from the distributor rotor is shown. In this embodiment the diode D2 and capacitor C5 are connected in parallel between lead 25 and breaker point 13. This system operates similar to that shown in FIG. 1 except the addition of the diode D2 and capacitor C5 comprises a very efficient ignition system wherein the capacitors C5 and C3 in parallel with the rectifiers D1 and D2 respectively absorb and cushion the current flow and protect against high voltage surges and thus lengthen the life of the diodes D1 and D2. Thus a very efficient and long life and inexpensive ignition system .is provided by the system of FIG. 2.

FIG. 3 illustrates a further embodiment where the lead 27 from the distributor rotor 22 is connected to one side of the secondary of the ignition coil 19 and the other side is connected to ground. The battery E has its negative terminal connected to ground and its positive terminal 11 connected to an on-off switch 12. The other side of the on-off switch 12 is connected to one of the breaker points 14. The other breaker point 13 is connected to the anode of diode D4 which has its cathode connected to one end 29 of the primary coil 18. A capacitor C7 is connected in parallel with the diode D4. The other side of the primary coil 28 is connected to a capacitor C2 which has its other side connected to ground. The capacitor C6 is connected between end 28 of coil 18 and ground. A diode D3 has its anode connected to end 28 of coil 18 and its cathode connected to ground.

This system utilizes breaker points which are not at ground potential and is feasible for use in two cycle cylinder engines such as found in some motorcycles, for example. A very hot and efficient spark is obtained with this circuit. The capacitors C7 and C6 in parallel with the diodes D4 and D3 respectively cushion the flow of current and protect the diodes against voltage surges which would destroy the diodes.

In summary, all of the ignition systems disclosed herein comprise substantial improvements over conventional ignition systems resulting in improved efiiciency of the engine, longer life of the points and other components in the system. The ignition systems result in improved performance and increased gasoline mileage of internal combustion engines. Although the invention has been described with respect to preferred embodiments, it is not to be so limited as changes and modifications may be made therein 'which are within the full intended scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. In an ignition system for an internal combustion engine where there is a source of electrical energy and a distributor comprising:

step-up transformer means having primary and secondary windings, said distributor connected to one end of said secondary winding;

a first diode;

a first capacitor connected in parallel with said first diode and the combination connected between one end of said primary winding and one side of said source of electrical energy;

a second capacitor connected between the second end of said primary winding and ground;

- a pair of breaker points connected between the second end of said primary winding and ground,

the second side of said source of electrical energy connected to ground, I

said second end of said secondary winding connected to the second end of said primary winding,

a second diode connected between the second end of said secondary winding and ground, and

a fourth capacitor connected in parallel with said second diode.

2. In an ignition system for an internal combustion engine where there is a source of electrical energy and a distributor comprising:

step-up transformer means having primary and sec ondary windings, said distributor connected to one end of said secondary winding;

a first diode;

a first capacitor connected in parallel with said first diode and the combination connected between one end of said primary winding and one side of said source of electrical energy;

a second capacitor connected between the second end of said primary winding and ground;

a pair of breaker points connected between the second end of said primary winding and ground.

said one side of said source of electrical energy connected to ground and the second side to said breaker points,

a second diode connected between said breaker points and the second end of said primary winding, and a third capacitor is connected in parallel with said second diode.

3. In an ignition system according to claim 2 wherein a fourth capacitor is connected between ground and said one end of said primary winding.

4. In an ignition system according to claim 3 wherein the second end of said secondary winding is connected to ground. 

1. In an ignition system for an internal combustion engine where there is a source of electrical energy and a distributor comprising: step-up transformer means having primary and secondary windings, said distributor connected to one end of said secondary winding; a first diode; a first capacitor connected in parallel with said first diode and the combination connected between one end of said primary winding and one side of said source of electrical energy; a second capacitor connected between the second end of said primary winding and ground; a pair of breaker points connected between the second end Of said primary winding and ground, the second side of said source of electrical energy connected to ground, said second end of said secondary winding connected to the second end of said primary winding, a second diode connected between the second end of said secondary winding and ground, and a fourth capacitor connected in parallel with said second diode.
 2. In an ignition system for an internal combustion engine where there is a source of electrical energy and a distributor comprising: step-up transformer means having primary and secondary windings, said distributor connected to one end of said secondary winding; a first diode; a first capacitor connected in parallel with said first diode and the combination connected between one end of said primary winding and one side of said source of electrical energy; a second capacitor connected between the second end of said primary winding and ground; a pair of breaker points connected between the second end of said primary winding and ground, said one side of said source of electrical energy connected to ground and the second side to said breaker points, a second diode connected between said breaker points and the second end of said primary winding, and a third capacitor is connected in parallel with said second diode.
 3. In an ignition system according to claim 2 wherein a fourth capacitor is connected between ground and said one end of said primary winding.
 4. In an ignition system according to claim 3 wherein the second end of said secondary winding is connected to ground. 